A remarkable opportunity

Posted on Thursday, August 15, 2013 at 12:21 pm

Guest editorial by Chuck Moss

In 1995, when I started my teaching career and I first became part of the Louisa community, I was introduced to a small hometown newspaper called The Central Virginian. I came to appreciate the unique nature of the paper; the attention it could pay to its subjects, to the people in its articles. I’d seen newspapers that had human interest pieces; but this was a newspaper interested in humans.

Over the years I read articles about countless events and issues and even got my name in the CV as a school employee and on its sports page a few of times when I talked about the teams that I coached. Later, I saw my name in print as an emcee for events to which I was lucky enough to be invited to voice.

Then, what remarkable opportunity was provided me when I was asked if I were interested in having my blog published as a column in the CV. My answer was a resounding, “yes!” (The people around me when I got the call in the Virginia Credit Union were somewhat taken aback by that).

Those of you who have read my blog online, my pre-game e-mails (or who have had me as a teacher) know that I love to write – or at least talk. I really do. I was thrilled to have a way to express myself through writing a column and to get some at-large feedback. I mean, I write to process, I write to make people laugh, I write to inform, and even to cause a little reflecting. A column will allow for all those things. So, I started blogging (titling my blog the “Chuck Wagon,” – chuckandsee.blogspot.com – both very witty; I know, right!?!)

Like all writers, I’m a guilty of putting forward my own agenda sometimes when I write, and you should know I’m going to be guilty of that as I write the Chuck Wagon. Also be sure to remember this as you read: I am firmly entrenched in the belief that you have the right to believe the exact opposite of what I do, and to express your beliefs (provided you aren’t hurting anyone, okay?).

In fact, I believe that a full world of people that are exactly the same in their seeing, hearing, speaking, and thinking is a world that will stagnate and, eventually, fade away. Diversity adds to our growth, our ability to listen to other opinions is what makes us an informed populace and our ability to recognize when maybe our own opinion is not the best…well, that’s what has always made ours a great nation, frankly.

That’s not just drama, I believe that and, as a student and teacher of history and government, I believe I have the facts to back that up. If you don’t believe diversity makes us a stronger people, check the patent office. You won’t find the same name next to every patent, and not every leap forward is made by the same kind of person.

The Chuck Wagon won’t be “A Column About…” Now, let me explain what I mean by that…many columns are about society, celebrities, music, the outdoors, sports, love life, yada, yada. I don’t intend to limit myself that way; I’ll be talking about all sorts of stuff.

It’s not that I don’t WANT to be specific, it’s that being specific creates that same sense of stagnation, I think. It makes you one-dimensional; and I don’t want that. If I value diversity, shouldn’t I be diverse? Perhaps that comes across as too self-serving a question; whatever…that can be a subject for a later column …

Generally, the Chuck Wagon will close with a promise to move ever-forward and with a statement of my appreciation for your joining me, riding shotgun, if you will. I truly mean that; I appreciate you joining me on this journey and I hope you appreciate its diversity, that it isn’t “A Column About.”

After all, that means if I write about something you don’t care for, maybe next week’s entry will be more to your taste. All I can say for sure is that the subjects I pick will always be things that pique my interest (and that’s pretty cool is that for me).

The wagon rolls on. Hop aboard, and thanks for riding shotgun.

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